Block forming machine



Oct. 3, 1950 K. T. ROMIE 2,524,359

BLOCK FORMING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR E 9 E 72 -KARL T. ROM/E ATTO RN EY Oct. 3, 1950 ROM:

BLOCK FORMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 15, 1946 l INVENTOR KARL T. ROM/E B WQM' ATTORN EY Oct. 3, 1950 K, ROM; 2,524,359

BLOCK FORMING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1946 4 Sheet s-Sheet 5 INVENTCR ((4 9L T. ROM/.5

lwau QM ATTORNEY Oct. 3, 1950 K. T. ROMIE BLOCK FORMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR KARL r. ROM/E 23. gl/jmfifl ATTORN EY a J 1% v m J J m 0 W 1 0% 5 z 1 H 1 2 m N w 4 w w m w scription of a specific embodiment thereof.

Patented Oct. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BLOCK FORMING MACHINE Karl T. Romie, Oakland, Calif.

Application July 15, 1946, Serial No. 683,737 2 Claims. (01. 25-41) My invention relates to the manufacture of hollow bricks or. the like and more particularly to improved machinery for the manufacture thereof.

The phrase hollow brick as used herein designates a brick provided with passages extending therethrough, and more particularly refers to bricks which are formed by molding a plastic material, such as cement or concrete, in a mold form having a core disposed therein.

In the manufacture of hollow brick from concrete, it is customary to utilize a mold form having a core therein and to pour concrete into the space in the form around the core, and then to compact the concrete in the mold such as by vibrating the mold with the concrete mix therein. The brick unit thus formed is thereafter removed from the mold and permitted to harden by drying. By means of this procedure, it is possible to manufacture hollow brick of any desired shape having passages extending therethrough.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved machine for manufacturing hollow brick.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine of the type described with means for compacting cementitious material before feeding it intoabrick mold. I

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine of the type described with means for preshaping cementitious material before feeding it into a brick mold.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine of the type described with means for feeding preformed cementitious material into a mold and then cutting off a predetermined portion thereof to form a hollow brick of predetermined dimensions.

A still further object of my invention is to provide in a machine of the type described, an improved means for making a series of hollow brick and discharging them in sequence onto a series of platens.

My invention possesses many other objects and advantages, some of which, together with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following de- In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a brick making machine incorporating features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the brick making machine of Figure 1 taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 Figure 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the brick making machine of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a portion of the hopper and the brick mold of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view, partly in section, of the brick making machine taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a plan view partly in section of the upper portion of the molding apparatus taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary upward view showing cutters compassing the cores of the brick makin machine;

Figure 8 is a side elevational view, partly in section and partly fragmentary, of the brick making machine with the mold withdrawn from the core;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, illustrating the action of the stripper of the brick making machine in discharging a brick from themold form;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevational view partly in section taken on the line Ill-I0 of Figure 9;

Figures 11 and 12 are detailed fragmentary views of a portion of the molding apparatus and the stripper; and,

Figure 13 is an isometric view of a hollow brick made with this machine.

In accordance with the present invention I provide a hopper having a discharge aperture at the bottom thereof and having a core supported therein extending downwardly through the aperture beyond the bottom into a molding region. A mold form is supported in that region in register with the hopper so as to complete a longitudinal space of uniform cross section about the core within the wall of the hopper and the mold form. In practicing the invention, cementitious material to be molded into brick form is fed into an opening at the top of the hopper and sinks therein under the combined action of gravity and vibration. As the cementitious material sinks in the hopper, it is compacted into a predetermined shape about the core and is then fed into the molding space between the core and the mold form.

The section of cementitious material filling the mold form is then severed from that remaining in the hopper by means of transversely movable blades which are adapted to slip between the mold form and the hopper in encompassing relationship to the core, thus cutting on a predetermined portion of cementitious material, and at the same 3 time closing the bottom of the hopper. To facilitate the severing of the brick unit from the material in the hopper, the cutters are vibrated transversely during the cutting operation. The hollow brick unit thus formed within the mold is then removed while the brick unit is still in a somewhat plastic but, nevertheless, firm state. The mold is then replaced and the blades withdrawn again causing preformed compacted cementitious material to be fed from the hopper into the mold again to form another hollow brick. Though many forms of machinery may be devised for manufacturing hollow brick in accordance with the principles of invention, only one embodiment thereof will be specifically described herein.

Referring to the drawing and more particu1arly to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 5, it is to be noted that the various operating parts of the brick making machine of the present invention are supported on a frame. mechanism, a platen feed mechanism, a brick discharge mechanism, and a brick conveying mech- 311115111.

Considering first the construction of the frame, it will be noted that it is of open type and comprises two longitudinal side bars d and 29b which are interconnected at their ends by bottom cross bars (not shown) and which rest upon cross beams 22a and 22b. The two side bars Zila. and 201) support at opposite ends thereof, front upright members 23a and 23b and rear upright members 2 m and Mb. A pair of vertically disposed guide rods 25a and 2519 are secured to the' side bars Zfiaand 20b at points near the front ends thereof. Two A-braces 26a and 2611 are arranged on opposite sides of the frame with their apexes rigidly secured to the tops of the guide rods 25a and 251) respectively. The A-braces 25a and 25b include long, downwardly inclined legs 28a and 2% attached to the frame at the lower rear corners thereof, and short, upwardly inclined legs 28a and 2%, the legs of each brace being connected by vertical cross-straps 39a and 36b respectively.

A platen supply platform 32 is supported beyond the rear of the frame by horizontal arms 33a and 33b which are supported by the long legs 28a and 28b of the A-braces and the rear upright members 26a and 24b. The platform 32 is of open rectangular figuration and comprises a floor including a pair of car rails 35a and 351) on opposite sides and upright members 36a and 361) at the rear thereof which carry at their top ends, horizontally extending side arms 31a and 311) which together with arms 33a and 331) support adjacent the front end of the platform 32, a vertically disposed platen container 33 of uniform rectangular cross section in plan.

The platen container 38 comprises four upright corner members 39-39 interconnected at their tops by four side strap members Ail-4D and interconnected at their bottoms by two longitudinally extending stationary platen rails Ma. and 4619. These platen rails are located above the floor of the platform 32.

A motor platform 43 of suitable construction is arranged at the front of the rear platform 32 and is rigidly secured to the arms 33a, and 3%.

Except for the foundation beams 220. and 22?) which are made of wood, the various members of the frame are all composed of metal such as iron or steel. The guide rods 25a and 252) are preferably of circular cross section. The side bars Elia and the front upright members 23a and 23%), the rear upright memberst la and 2%,

The frame supports a brick forming 4 the car rails 35a and 35b, the corner members fill-4:9, and the stationary platen rails 4l -4l are preferably made of angle iron.

The brick forming portion of the machine includes a hopper fail supported by brackets 45a and 452) at the top of the guide rods 25a and 25b and a mold [iii supported on the frame beneath the hopper.

I The hopper comprises a funnel 5| at the upper end thereof and an elongated chute 52 at the lower end thereof terminating in a mouth or discharge aperture 53 at the bottom. The chute 52 is of rectangular cross section and comprises relatively wide front and rear walls 54a and 54b and relatively narrow side walls 55a and 551). A pair of alignment brackets 56a and 56b embracing the guide rods 25a and 25b are rigidly secured to the narrow side walls at the lower end thereof in order to maintain the chute vertical.

Two hollow cores 57a and 51b of uniform square, horizontal, cross-section and closed off at the bottoms, hang in the hopper 50 in spaced relationship to the walls thereof and to each other, being supported from a web structure 58 affixed across the top of the funnel 5!. These cores extend downwardly beyond the bottom of the chute into a molding region where'hollow bricks are to be molded.

The mold to in which the bricks are to be formed comprise a vertically movable mold form SI and a horizontally or transversely movable mold bottom plate 62. The mold form 6! is of the same rectangular cross section as the chute 52 and comprises front and rear walls 64a and 65b and side walls 65a and 65b and is open at the top and bottom.. The mold form 6! is adapted to be positioned directly beneath the bottom of the chute 632 with its walls in register with the walls of the chute 52, and has a height which permits a small space to be formed between its top and the bottom of the chute 52 when the bottom of the mold form lies in the same horizontal plane as the bottom of the cores 51a and 51b, as will be noted by particular reference to Figures 3 and 5.

The mold form 6| is carried by sleeves 68a and 68b bracketed to the side walls 65a. and 65b and these sleeves are arranged to slide vertically on the guide rods 25a and 25b, permitting the mold form to be vertically moved between an upper, or molding position in the molding region and a lower or brick discharge position, all as more fully explained hereinbelow.

The mold bottom plate 62 is used with the mold form 6! when the latter is in its upper position. This bottom plate carries a pair of guide rails 69a and 6% at the sides thereof, which rest on a pair of stationary guide rails 10 supported from the long legs 28a and 28b of the A-braces intermediate the ends thereof.

Another pair of guide rails Ha and Nb are carried on the side walls 65a and 65b of the mold form BI and are adapted to be aligned with the stationary guide rails l0 when the mold form 6| is located in its upper position. With this arrangement, the mold bottom plate 62 may be moved between a rear position on the stationary guide rails 10 to a forward position on the guide rails 15a and Nb carried by the mold form. This movement is accomplished by means of a lever 12 connected to the bottom plate BI and pivotally supported between the aforementioned A-braces.

The brick forming apparatus also comprises a pair of transversely movable cutter blades 15a the at is ril pla e between ih 52 and the mold BI in its upper position such blades having notches 14 at the inner edges thereof to conform to and permit the same to encompass the cores 51a and 51b when moved inwardly toward each other. These cutting blades arecarried by sleeves 16a and 1617 which slide on guide rods 77a and 11b extending horizontally across and afiixed to the narrow walls of the hopper chute adjacent the lower end thereof. It is to be noted that the cutter blades 15a and 15b are movable between an inner position in which they cooperate with the cores 51a and 51b to close the bottom of the chute 52, and an outer position in which they permit a continuous passage to be formed by the chute and the mold form around the cores enclosed therein.

The movement of the blades is accomplished by means of control arms 18a and 18b which are pivotally attached at their far ends to links 19a and 19b which are in turn pivotally supported on the side wall 55b of the hopper by means of suitable brackets 89a and 89b. The cutter arms 11a and 171) are also pivotally attached to the sleeves 16a and 16b of the cutter blades. The guide rods Ila and 11b are supported on the front and rear walls 54a and 54b and the sleeves 16a and 16b are attached to the cutter blades 75a and 15b midway between their sides, all as illustrated in Figur 6, in order to facilitate balanced transverse movement of the blades 15:; and 15b without yawing.

Suitable means are provided for vibrating the hopper and the cores, the knives, the mold form and mold bottom plate. For this purpose two shafts 8| carrying eccentric weights 82 are mounted in bearings on the front and rear walls 54a and 54b of the chuteand also two shafts 83 carrying eccentric weights 84 are mountedon bearings on the two cutter blades. All four shafts are arranged above the plane of the cutter blades. Two pulleys 86 are secured to the ends of the first pair of shafts 8| mentioned and two pulleys 81 are secured to the ends of the second pair of shafts 83 in alignment with the other pulleys and an idler pulley 88 mounted on the chute.

An electric drive motor 90 is provided having a driving pulley 9| arranged in the plane of the driven pulleys 86 and 81. This drive motor is mounted directly over the hopper on a platform 93 which is pivotally supported between the upper ends of the short legs 29a and 29b of the A-braces. The motor is counterbalanced by a counterweight 94 arranged on the platform 93 on the opposite side of the pivot. The counterweight 94 is assisted by a normally open compression spring 95 arranged between the platform 93 on a horizontal cross piece 96 attached to the vertical cross straps 30a and 3% on the A-braces. pression spring 95; the bolt 91 is secured at one end to the platform 93 and passes through a bore in the cross piece 96, and has a stopping nut 98 attached to the lower end thereof.

In order to drive the eccentric-carrying shafts 8| and 83, a belt 99 is threaded between the driving pulley 9| and the driven pulleys 8'6 and 81 and the idler pulley 88. The driven pulleys 86 A bolt 91 extends through the com and 8'! are considerably smaller than the driving .pulley 92 in order to produce a low amplitude high frequency vibration of the hopper 50 and the cores 51a and 51b and th cutter blades 15a and 15b.

It isto be noted that variable take-up is provided for the belt 99 by virtue of the. pivotal arrangement" and counte'rweighting of the plat form 93 so that the hopper, the cores, and the cutter blades may be vibrated at all times.

An angle iron bar IBIJ is rigidly secured to the guide rod 25 a and the A-brace 26a in the path of inward movement of the cutter arms 18a and 78b, and is provided with a notch I03 at each end to properly limit the inward extent of travel of the cutters and provide a support for each arm, in such position.

h In order to vibrate the mold form 6| and the mold bottom plate 62, a shaft I05 is mounted transversely thereof in a bearing I06 extending downward from the bottom plate 62 and this shaft I05 carries eccentric weights llll. The shaft I05 carries at one end a pulley I98 which is driven from a belt III] by a driving pulley III mounted on an electric motor H4 which is supported on the motor base 43. Suitable means may be provided to permit take-up of this belt H0 during the lateral movement of the mold bottom plate I52 from itsfunctioning position under the mold to its non-functionin position, but in the absence of such take-up means, the belt will drape itself about its associated pulleys when the bottom plate is moved to its non-functioning position. It is to be noted that vibration is communicated to the mold form from the mold bottom plate by virtue of the fact that the mold bottom plate hangs from the mold form when the bottom plate is in functioning position.

Th mechanism for locking the mold in molding position comprises a pair of locking sleeves I Mia and I [6b arranged to slide vertically on the guide rods 25a and 25b directly beneath the sleeves 68a and 68b whichsupport the mold form BI. These locking sleeves are raised and lowered on their guide rods by means of two toggle linkages arranged on opposite sides of the frame. I

These toggle linkages comprise crank. arms Ba and ll8b pivotally supported on the side bars 26a and 29b of the frame and rigidly interconnected along the axis of rotation by means of a shaft H9. The toggle linkages also comprise lift arms mm and I2!!!) pivotally connected at theirlower ends to the upper ends of the crank arms HM and lI8b respectively, and pivotally connected at their upper ends to the locking sleeves Ba and IIBb respectively. One of the crank arms II8a has a cross arm I22 rigidly secured transversely thereto to facilitate operation of the toggle linkages by foot. The locking sleeves I Mia and I IBb are lowered by pressing downward I on. the forward end of the cross arm I22 and are .and I242) attached to the lower ends of the lift arms I2Ba and I29?) and adjacent the crank arms II8a and I I8b on the forward sides thereof The locking sleeves IISa and I I6b carry upwardly projecting brackets a and I251: on the forward sides thereof on which are mounted two adjusting screws H611 and I26b and lock nuts associated therewith. These adjusting screws are horizontally adjustable in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the frame and serve to limit the forward movement ofthe mold bottom plate 62 by engagement with centering legs I2l'a and I2Ib extending downwardly therefrom.

The upper ends of the locking sleeves I Mia and I I 6b are interconnected by a cross bar I281 which cooperates with the shaft I I 9 interconnectlngthe container 38.

toggle'linkages for raising and lowering the two locking sleeves H611. and b in unison. When the looking sleeves engage the mold form guiding sleeves 58a and 68b, injtheir uppermost position, the mold form BI is supported in proper registry with the chute 62. With the mold form BI in this position the mold bottom plate 62,- may be moved into position to close the lower end thereof, thus establishing a brick mold 60 enclosing the extended ends of the cores as illustrated in Figure 4.

The raising and lowering of the mold form is further controlled by means of a pair of lifting cranks little and I301) which are pivotally supported on the long legs 28a and 28b of the A- braces externally of the frame and which are connected to the mold form sleeves 68a and 68b by links I3Ia and I3Ib. These two cranks are interconnected at their points of rotation by means of a shaft I32 to which both are rigidly secured. These cranks :I-30a and I301) are rotated about their pivots by means of an elongated rearwardly extending handle I formed unitary with one of the cranks I30a.

A conveyor belt I31fis arranged for longitudinal :movement beneath the brick discharge position of the mold form 6|. This belt is driven by a motor (not shown) over a pulley I35 supported between bearings carried on brackets I39 which are supported on the front upright members 23a and 23b of-the. frame. The upper portion of the belt I31 rests upon a'platform I40 which extends into the front end of the frame with its upper surface tangent to the pulley I38. The belt is so driven that its lower portion moves toward the 'frame and its upper portion moves away from the frame.

A mechanism is provided for feeding a series of platens sequentially into brick receiving position directly beneath the discharge position of the brick mold form 5|, and above the conveyor belt I31. This mechanism comprises a supply of platens stacked in the platen container 38 on the rear platform 32 and includes a pair of guide rails I42a and I421: disposed within the frame on opposite sides of the belt I31 and pivotally supported on the rear upright members 24a and 24b ofthe frame.

These guide rails terminate in depending sections I45a and I551), the lower ends of which are interconnected by means of a cross bar I44a arranged beneath the belt platform I40. A cross bar I442; across the rails and affixed thereto, serves to rigidify the rail assembly.

The guide rails I42a and I421) are connected to a rearwardly extending arm I46 having a weight I43 at the end thereof for pivotally holding the forward end of the guide rails I42u and I421) in their uppermost position.

The platen feed mechanism also includes a pusher plate I41 provided with wheels I48 which ride on the floor rails 35a and 35b, and permit of movement of the pusher plate between a forward position directly beneath the platen container 30 and a rearward position behind it. The plate; I41

carries a weighted pivoted trip I50 at the forward end thereof which is adapted to swing into a horizontal position and permit withdrawal of the platefrom its forward position beneath the platen When the pusher plate is drawn to its rearward position, the finger I50 is adapted to right itself to a position where it will catch the lowermost platen in the container 38 and push it forward onto the guide rails MM and I42b when the plate I41 is againmoved to its forward position beneath the stack of platens.

The mechanism for controlling the movement of the plate I41 comprises a downwardly inclined finger lever I 50a pivotally supported on a shaft I.5I at the rear side of the platform 32. The finger lever is arranged with its engaging end in a. slot in a tongue I54 extending rearwardly of the plate I41 and rigidly attached thereto.

The shaft I5I is rotated by "means of a crank I51 which is connected to a link I58 which in turn is pivotally connected to a crank arm I59 unitary with the mold lift crank arm I30a and the control handle I35.

It is to be noted that the mold lift crank arm I3Ila and the plate actuating crank arm I51 and the handle I35 are interconnected so that when the handle I35 is raised, the mold form GI is moved from its molding position to its discharge position in contact with a platen and simultaneously therewith, the plate I41 is moved from its front position tov its rear position.

Subsequently when the control handle I35 is lowered, the mold form 6! is raised from its discharge position to its molding position and the pusher plate is moved forward and pushes a platen ontov the platen guide rails. The latter platen pushes other platens forward on the guide rails 142a and I421). thus pushing a platen into brick receiving position beneath the discharge position of the mold form 6 I.

A stripper I10 is provided to assist in the discharge of bricks from the brick mold form 6| onto a platen. Such stripper comprises a pair of substantially C-shaped arms I1Ia and HI!) which are pivotally supported at the upper ends of the front upright members 23a and 23b. These are rigidified by across member connecting intermediate points thereof, and a pressure bar I15 of angle iron joining the free ends of said arms. A second pair of arms 112a and I12b are pivotally connected to said first arms between said cross member and pressure bar and are similarly connected at their free ends by a pressure bar I11. This second assembly is normally biased to, an open position with respect to the first arms I'Ha and I'IIb by a spring I13 interengag'ing said cross member and said pressure bar I11.

A stop ,pin. on one of the arms determines the maximum open position to which the spring may spread the str'ipper arms. The pressure bars are so disposed that with the stripper in its normally open condition, each has a surface lying in a common plane.

The .stripper is. movable between a retracted position illustrated in Figure 11 and a stripping position illustrated in Figure 12. The desired control is achieved by means of a pivoted bellcrank I80. having two arms I8.I and I82 thereon which cooperate with a pin I84 projecting from a side wall of the mold form 6 I. A holding spring I84. is so connected between the bell-crank I and the front upright, member 23b as to move the ltoell-crank away from dead center in either direcion.

The operation of the stripper may be readily understood by particular reference to Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12. Thus, when the mold form 6| is lowered toward its discharge position, the pin I14 carried on the mold form BI engages the arm IBI of the bell-crank I80. pressing it downward first against the tension of the spring and then with the aid of the spring I84 after the bell-crank passes dead center. As a result the pressure bars 9 I16 and I'll are brought into register withthe top surfaces of the walls of a hollow brick unit I90 in the mold form SI as illustrated in solid line in Figures 9 and 10.

Subsequently, when the mold form BI is raised, it moves upward while the stripper I10 remains stationary and holds the brick unit I90 stationary, thus causing the brick unit to be discharged from the mold form I.

During continued upward movement of the mold form, the pin I'M carried thereon engages the second arm I02 of the bell crank and swings the stripper into its forward, retracted position wherethe bell crank I30 comes to rest against a stop I85 projecting sidewise from the front upright member 23?).

It is to be noted in this connection that during this swinging movement of the stripper, the second arms IIZa and H21) carrying the second pressure bar, press against a front wall 64a of the mold form GI and are thus urged against the tension of the spring I'l3 into a position which permits the stripper I 80 to be readily drawn from the mold form 6 I.

A drip pan I8? is located on the floor between the cross beams 22a and 22b to catch loose concrete mix.

To prepare the machine described, for operation, the rails I42a-I42b are initially hand loaded with platens, the first I95 being disposed beneath the discharge position of the mold form. A series of platens are stacked in the container 38 upon the stationary rails Illa and dib, and constitute a reserve supply to be fed automatically onto the rails M2al42b, to maintain such rails loaded so long as the supply of platens holds out. The mold form GI is locked in molding position about the extended ends ofthe cores 51a and 57b and the mold bottom plate 62 moved into its forwardposition in engagement there with. The cutter blades lfia and 7517 are moved into a position closing the mouth 53 of the hopper 52.

With the machine thus prepared a concrete mix in a thick plastic state is then poured into the funnel 5| at the top of the hopper 50 and the mix is permitted to settle within the chute 52 and intothe space surrounding the cores 51a and 57b. The motors 0| and IM are then energized and also the motor (not shown) which drives the conveyor belt I 31. The energization of the two motors HI and H4 causes the mold form BI, the mold bottom plate 62, the cutter blades 15a and 151), the hopper 50, and thecores 51a and 57b to vibrate as hereinabove explained. The vibration of the hopper 50 and the cores 51a and 51b causes the concrete mixture in the hopper 50 to be compacted and to assume the form of the space in the hopper surrounding the cores 51a and 5122.

After the concrete within the hopper 50 has been precompacted to the desired degree, the cutter arms 11a and Nb are moved outward, thus withdrawing the blades Ma and 151) from the mouth of the chute and permitting the preformed concrete mix to slide into the mold 60 until stopped by the mold bottom plate 62. It is to be noted that the vibration of the cutting blades 15a and 152) during the withdrawal operation permits the blades to be detached readily from the bottom surface of the preformed body of concrete mix without disturbing that surface.

The vibration of the hopper 50 and the cores 51a and 51b assist gravity in causing the concrete mix to slip into the mold. The continued vibration of themold causes the material filling the molding space therein to assume a uniform consistency free of air pockets. After the mold form has been filled, the cutter arms Ila and 11b are then pushed inward so as to cause the cutter blades 15a and 15b to sever the mixture in the mold from that remaining in the hopper. The vibration of the cutter blades "I50. and 15b during this operation facilitates such severance. After a brick unit I has been formed in the mold, the mold bottom plate is withdrawn to its rearward position. The vibration of this bottom plate assists in its detachment from the brick unit I90. The consistency of the material in the brick unit I90 at this time however, is such that it does not fall out of the mold form. After the mold bottom plate has been removed, the toggle linkages are moved to their collapsed position thus unlocking the mold form. The handle I35, is then pushed upward, thus causing the mold form to be lowered with the brick unit therein to its discharge position. form is lowered the brick unit is detached from the cores 51a and 51b, this detachment being assisted by the vibration of the cores 51a, and 5713-.

As the mold form is thus lowered to its discharge position, the stripper H0 is engaged, as hereinabove described, and the pressure bars I16 and I'll thereon register with the topsurfaces of the forward and the rear walls I Sid and IQIb of the brick as illustrated in Figure 9. Subsequently when the mold for GI is raised, the hollow brick is discharged onto the platen I95. The weight of the brick on this platen is sufficient to cause. the guide rails I02a and I421) to be lowered by gravity and thus permitthe loaded platen to engage the belt I37 and be carried forward thereon as indicated in Figure. 3.

As the upward movement of the mold form occurs, the pusher plate I 41 is moved forward in the rear platform 32 causing a platen to be withdrawn from the lowermost position in the container 38 and press the other platens on the guide rails I42a and I421) forward, thus to place another platen in the brick receiving position beneath the discharge position of the mold form. If perchance the loaded platen has not previously been removedfrom the guide rails MM and I42?) because of friction between that platen and the guide rails, the loaded platen is now discharged from the guide rails onto the belt I31 by virtue of the platen feeding action described; H When the loaded platen is discharged, the guide rails M211 and I421) are automatically raised to their uppermost position by the weight I I'I.

After the mold form has been moved into its uppermost position, the toggle linkages are moved into their most extended position in looking engagement with the mold form. Then the mold bottom plate is moved forward into a position beneath the mold form and the mold is again ready to receive a batch of preformed concrete mix from the hopper.

To form the second hollow brick, the cutting blades 15a and 151) are again withdrawn from the mouth of the hopper and the preformed precompacted concret mix again permitted to slide into the mold as hereinbefore described. After the mold is again filled, the concrete mix is severed by moving the blades 15a and 15b together in a closing relationship over the mouth of the hopper and a second brick unit is thus formed. This brick unit is discharged onto a second platen in the manner previously described and the en- As the mold 1 1 tire process is repeated again and again to manufacture a supply of hollow bricks.

From the foregoing description of my invention it will be clear-that I have provided a machine for making hollow bricks efficiently by virtue of the fact that the mix from which the hollow bricks are to be made is preformed and precompacted before being fed into a brick mold. It will also be clear that the efficiency achieved by this machine results partly from the fact that the cores extend through the hopper into the molding region, and also by virtue of the fact that various portions of the apparatus, especially the cores and the bottom plate and the cutter blades are vibrated during the movement thereof relative to the body of the concrete mix, thus facilitating the severance and detachment of these portions from the brick unit formed in the mold.

It is also clear that the efficiency of the brick making machine described is enhanced by the mechanism which coordinates the brick discharging operation and the platen feeding operation. With the machine described the manufacture of hollow brick is greatly speeded up by the fact that a series of hollow bricks are made from a preformed precompacted supply of concrete mix.

Although but one embodiment of my invention has been illustrated and described, it will be obvious that further changes and modifications in the form and relative arrangements of the parts and the material used, may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention.

While I have stressed, in the foregoing description of ya preferred embodiment of my invention, the manufacture of hollow bricks or blocks, it becomes a simple matter to convert the machine to the manufacture of solid items, merely through the removal of the core from the hopper.

Reference is, therefore, made to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for manufacturing hollow 2. In apparatus for manufacturing hollow brick, a hopper having a discharge aperture at the lower end thereof, a core fixedly supported within said hopper and extending downwardly through said aperture beyond the lower end thereof for preforming a supply of cementitious material in the preforming space in said hopper surrounding the core, means for vibrating said hopper and said core, a mold form, means for supporting said mold form about the extended end of said core, a mold bottom plate, means for supporting said mold bottom plate on the bottom of said mold form in closing relationship thereto, whereby a molding space is formed in said mold form about the extended end of said core, and means for vibrating said bottom plate and said mold form.

3, In apparatus for manufacturing hollow brick, a hopper having a discharge aperture at the lower end thereof, a core fixedly supported within said hopper and extending downwardly through said aperture beyond the lower end thereof for preforming a supply of cementitious material in the preforming space in said hopper surrounding the core, means for vibrating said hopper and said core, a brick mold, means for supporting said brick mold about the extended end of said core whereby a molding space is formed in said mold form about the extended end of said core, means including a gate disposed in a plane between said hopper and said mold form for closing said aperture, means for withdrawing said gate from said aperture to release preformed cementitious material from said preforming space into said molding space, means for returning said gate to its initial position to sever the cementitious material in said molding space from the cementitious material remaining in said hopper, and means for vibrating said gate.

KARL T. ROMIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

, UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,029,559 Pauly June 11, 1912 1,376,321 Crozier Apr. 26, 1921 1,573,346 Kissam Feb. 16, 1926 1,733,706 Widin Oct. 29, 1929 1,921,003 Romie Aug. 8, 1933 2,136,009 Holland, Jr. Nov. 8, 1938 2,360,122 Gelbman Oct. 10, 1944 

